Refillable fuse



E. G. WEISGERBER.

REFILLABLE FUSE.

APPLICATION FILED 00122, 1918.

1,341,401. Patented May 25,1920.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN G. WEISGERBER, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

REFILLABLE FUSE.

Application filed October 2, 1918.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Serial No. 256,562.

(FILED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, 22 STAT. L, 625.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN C. VVEIsoER- BER, captain, corps of Eng, U. S. A., a citizen of the United States, stationed at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented an Improvement in Refillable Fuses, of which the following is a specification.

The invention described herein may be used by the Government, or any of its ofii cers or employees in prosecution of work for the Government, or by any other person in the United States, without payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in refillable fuse cartridges, and has for one of its objects to simplify and improve the construction and increase the efficiency and utility of devices of this character and to decrease the time and labor required to refill the fuse.

Another object of the invention is to protively clamping the fuse link and locking the end caps in position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character so constructed that the contact area between the coupling devices and the cap is materially increased without increasing the weight or expense.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupling means so constructed that the shrinking of the shell will not cause the separation of the electrically contacting portions.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain new and useful improvements hereinafter described and specifically set forth in the claims, and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section, enlarged on the line III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4: is a side view,

Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the combined fuse clamping and conductor blocks; and

Fig. 6 is a detached view of the fuse.

The improved device comprises a shell 10 of non-conductive material, such as hard rubber, fiber, or the like, and provided at the ends with caps 11 of conductive material, the latter serving as closures for the ends of the shell, as supports for the contact blades 12, and as a means for supporting the outer ends of the coupling means between the caps and the fuse member 13.

Formed in the walls of the shell 10 are arcuate slots indicated at 1 1, and covered by the caps. Disposed within the shell are coupling blocks 15 arranged in coacting pairs, with their outer portions extending through the slots and their outer faces curved to conform to and closely engage the inner faces of the caps.

The ends of the fuse 13 extend between the confronting faces of the blocks 15, each pair of the blocks and the interposed portions of the fuse being united by clamp bolts 16. One of the blocks 15 of each pair is threaded to receive the threaded portion of the bolt, while the terminal of the unthreaded portion of the bolt extends through an aperture in the cap 11 and is headed as shown at 17 to bear upon the cap.

The confronting faces of the blocks 15 and the fuse 13 are apertured to receive dowel pins 18 to prevent rotation of the blocks and fuse and coacting with the bolts to hold the parts in position. The contact blades 12 may be secured to the caps by any suitable means, such as soldering or the like, to provide continuous electric conductivity.

The fuse member 13 is reduced intermediate the ends in the usual manner.

By this means a simply constructed device is produced which may be inexpensively constructed, the parts readily and quickly separated to permit the removal of a burned out fuse, and the substitution therefor of a perfect fuse, and without destroying or discarding the other parts.

The caps 11 are provided with vent apertures 19 and the shell is filled with magnesia, or like non-heat conducting substance, indicated at 20.

Sheets of some slight fabric such as cheese cloth chemically treated indicated at 21 will be disposed over the inner faces of the outer walls of the caps to prevent escape of the heat resisting material.

What is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A refillable fuse comprising an insulating tube having arcuate slots spaced from its ends, caps having conductor blades and engaging over the ends of the tube and over the arcuate slots thereof, a fuse Within the tube, and coupling members having their inner faces bearing upon the fuse and the outer faces fitting in and extending through the slots and in contact With the caps.

2. A refillable fuse comprising an insulating tube having arcuate slots spaced from its ends, caps having conductor blades and engaging over the ends of the tube and over the arcuate slots thereof, a fuse Within the tube, coupling members having their inner fiat faces bearing upon the fuse and their outer rounded ends extending through the slots and in contact with the caps, and fas tening devices operating through the caps, coupling members and fuse.

3. In combination With an insulating tube, end caps and fuse, coupling members for securing said tube, caps and fuse in proper relation, consisting of pairs of blocks having inner faces engaging the fuse and outer ends engaging the tube and caps, and bind ing screws passing through the tube, caps and fuse to secure the parts in operative relation.

4. In combination With an insulating tube,

having arcuate slots spaced from each end, caps fitting the tube and extending over said slots, and a fuse within the tube, of coupling members having their inner ends clamping the fuse therebetween, and their outer ends rounded and fitting in the arcuate slots of the tube, and securing means passing through the caps, tube and coupling members.

5. In combination with a fuse, end caps and tube having pairs of oppositely (11sposed slots in each end, coupling members consisting each of a pair of clamped blocks having their outer ends fitting the slots of the tube, and their inner ends bearing upon the fuse, and interlocking means for connecting and holding the clamped blocks in proper alinement.

6. The herein described means for securing the insulating tube, fuse and end caps of a refillable fuse in proper relation, consisting of two pairs of coupling members arranged Within the tube near each end, and having inner fuse clamping faces and outer tube and cap engaging portions and means for retaining the tube, fuse and conplings in cooperative relation.

EDWIN G. VVEISGERBER. 

